Policy & Assessment | News
National Assessment Governing Board Seeks Nominees
The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB), which oversees national student assessments, is looking for nominees to fill five upcoming openings.
The 26-member NAGB is an independent, bipartisan board that was established by Congress to set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which is also known as "The Nation's Report Card." The NAGB is looking for five qualified candidates to serve four-year terms from Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2018. Board members serve as special federal employees and meet four times per year.
The Board is seeking nominations in five categories:
- Secondary school principal;
- Fourth-grade teacher;
- Eighth-grade teacher;
- Chief state school officer; and
- General public representative.
The National Assessment Governing Board oversees national student assessments in nearly a dozen academic subjects in grades 4, 8, and 12. Board members determine which subjects will be covered by the assessments and what the content and achievement levels of those assessments will be. They also approve all assessment questions and work to improve how the results are reported.
Initiatives that the new Board members will address include:
- Research studies on students' academic preparedness for college and job training;
- A parent engagement initiative;
- Innovative computer-based assessments; and
- A computer-based assessment of technology and engineering literacy at grade 8.
People can nominate themselves or somebody else by submitting a letter indicating the nomination category and qualifications, a resume, and an optional statement of interest. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 18, 2013. The Governing Board will submit a list of finalists to Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education for the United States, who will appoint the new Board members. The membership of the Governing Board is required by law to reflect regional, racial, gender, and cultural balance and diversity.
Further information about the nominations process can be found on the National Assessment Governing Board's site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at leilameyer@gmail.com.